25 Gallon Planted Community Journey V2

[Robbo89]

I don't remember the brand -

 
 
Actually, if the plant grows big enough, the pot becomes a really hidden hole and the fish will probably like it even more!

Not a bad thought, might grab a bit then. Cheers

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Maybe even two.

 

[greenmumma141]

I enjoy my bigger anubias much better than the smaller varieties, and they seem to grow faster as well. Anubias Barteri, "wrinkle leaf", and coffeefolia are all good, larger anubias types

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Okay, I've discovered something about using that cloudy ammonia....
After I went to my nearest supermarket to see if they had any pure/clear ammonia, I started researching about using the cloudy ammonia (since thats all my supermarket had), and I found out that you can use it but.....
Various people recommended that you don't have anything in the tank except the filter and heater, so you cycle you tank and then a 3 days before you get fish, you give your tank a really good clean out, scrubbing every single bit of surface and then performing several 100% water changes (using dechlorinated water) over that day and the next, then, when your pretty sure that there is little to no "nasty stuff" left, you can perform your final waterchange and when your the water is up to temperature, you can add fish. (If there is any "nasty stuff" left, then it will be diluted so much, that it will be almost untracable and therefore safe for the fish, though they do recommend adding the hardiest fish first).
 
It's up to you if you want to risk it but I think that it will most likely be the way I cycle my tank, unless I can source some pure/clear ammonia.

 

[Robbo89]

Okay, I've discovered something about using that cloudy ammonia....
After I went to my nearest supermarket to see if they had any pure/clear ammonia, I started researching about using the cloudy ammonia (since thats all my supermarket had), and I found out that you can use it but.....
Various people recommended that you don't have anything in the tank except the filter and heater, so you cycle you tank and then a 3 days before you get fish, you give your tank a really good clean out, scrubbing every single bit of surface and then performing several 100% water changes (using dechlorinated water) over that day and the next, then, when your pretty sure that there is little to no "nasty stuff" left, you can perform your final waterchange and when your the water is up to temperature, you can add fish. (If there is any "nasty stuff" left, then it will be diluted so much, that it will be almost untracable and therefore safe for the fish, though they do recommend adding the hardiest fish first).
 
It's up to you if you want to risk it but I think that it will most likely be the way I cycle my tank, unless I can source some pure/clear ammonia.

Well today I got in contact with a local Fish Breeder I once knew many years ago, and he told me that the way he has been cycling for years now is just with Seachem Stability. He adds 5mL per 40L (10 Gal) and then runs the whole tank for 24 hours, before adding fish. And this method has worked flawlessly for him many times. So it looks like thats the path I'm going to go down as he is happy to give me a bottle for pretty much nothing (very very cheap), but thank you for the advice ! And best of luck with it! If anything ever goes wrong I will always have this cloudy ammonia here and will most definitely refer back to your comment if i need to use it  
 
 

I enjoy my bigger anubias much better than the smaller varieties, and they seem to grow faster as well. Anubias Barteri, "wrinkle leaf", and coffeefolia are all good, larger anubias types

 
I do love the larger leafed varieties, but they can be really expensive down here in Australia which is a real shame, even the smaller anubias cost around $20 on average, which might be nothing to you but I'm still in school and lucky to put together $20 in a month with the job I have currently  
 
 
 

Maybe even two.

 
Maybe even three. 

The cut ends of my driftwood and in the cracks around the centre now have this large white slimy looking bubble which I assume is sap seeping out from the wood, I cleaned it all off and removed all the floating bits of it I could with my net but will it come back? Should I take it out of the tank and scrub it down/soak it for a few more days? As well as this, the front glass and crypt leaves are becoming rather brown with algae which I now know is from the 8 hour photo-period, just making things look pretty dirty which is a shame Should I grab 1 large snail to chuck in there while Im going all this plant work in an attempt to keep the algae down? Not sure what I would do with it once I stock though... hmmm.... 
 
Just a quick update, there seems to be a whole lot of new growth on the larger plants which is really exciting as my tank looks super dull right now with only 4 stems left and a few random crypts.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Yup... its normal...  Don't worry about it.  (referring to white stuff)
 
Just cut the photo period back to 6 hours. (referring to the diatoms.)

 

[greenmumma141]

$20 for any plant is an awful lot, completely agree with you there  Have you found a good website? Im sure ebay has an AU section, no?

 

[Robbo89]

Alright guys, update time;
 
I decided to remove the driftwood as the sap it was leaking was filling my tank, and ideally I want to be able to use it when I buy my plants in 3 days, so I scrubbed the whole thing down, got all the visible sap off and put it into a big black bin with very very hot water to soak until saturday. 

 
The white sap I've been mentioning >>>

 
The ugly brown algae on the crypt leaves >>>

 
While taking out the wood and moving around the gravel and plants, I lost about another 2 full plants of that first species I bought. This makes me soooooo frustrated!!! 

 

In less than a week I've managed to kill over 80% of what was sold to me as a "super hardy aquarium plant" 

All of the plants went from having a solid strong woody stem to a melted away string of brown slush and I have no idea why!? They were all buried deep into the substrate perfectly and had minimum of an 8 hour photo period per day, yet I now have ONE healthy stem left!?

 
More leaves melting away into nothing 

 
And so for the next few days my tank will look like this. No wood, (in comparison to a week ago) no healthy plants, and no happiness for me

 
Could someone please explain what the heck is going on!?! I'm sick of loosing all these healthy plants for no apparent reason Makes me think that buying more plants on the weekend wil result in the same way, and just be an even bigger waste of money :'( 

$20 for any plant is an awful lot, completely agree with you there

 Have you found a good website? Im sure ebay has an AU section, no?

Yes ebay sure does have an AU version, not sure how much I trust it though, and once I add the price of postage to it its almost always cheaper to just grab the plant from a store around me. Theres pretty much 6 'LFS' for me so its not too much of an issue, but everything here is expensive no matter where you go

 

[techen]

I skipped through a lot of this and of course will no doubt be lost.
 
How long as the plants been in the tank for? Do you not think this melting is only due to the plants adjusting to the new water stats? There can be a gap from when you first put the plants in for them then to go melting.
 
Also, What do you dose plant food wise? 
 
What are your lights? (How old are they? Old bulbs will not help)
 
Is there good flow around the tank? Tank turnover?

 

[Robbo89]

I skipped through a lot of this and of course will no doubt be lost.
 
How long as the plants been in the tank for? Do you not think this melting is only due to the plants adjusting to the new water stats? There can be a gap from when you first put the plants in for them then to go melting.
 
Also, What do you dose plant food wise? 
 
What are your lights? (How old are they? Old bulbs will not help)
 
Is there good flow around the tank? Tank turnover?

 
Plants went in a week ago, even if it was just adjustment melting the plants were completely destroyed and had to be thrown away. They were floating while literally falling apart, dropping leaves and splitting up.
 
I don't currently dose any plant fertilizers
 
25W in a 25 Gal, cant tell you the exact specs of the bulb as it was bought about a year ago now. 
 
The tank has (IMO) excellent flow, the spray bar constantly disturbs the surface allowing oxygen to enter the water as well.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I brought in some reinforcements Robbo.
 
 
When techen asks about flow, he means the full circulation around the tank - not just at the surface.
 
The bulb being a year old could be an issue.  Depending on the bulb, you lose frequencies of light over about 6 months or so.  We can't tell by the brightness of the light, but the plant can tell when specific frequencies are missing.

 

[Robbo89]

Maybe I need to look at a new bulb then, as for the flow, I assume its alright? How can I really check/know?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Are the plants swaying in the current at all levels of the tank?  If you drop a bit of flake food to the bottom of the tank, does it sit on the substrate, or does it move along the bottom?

 

[TheStretchedElf]

Dude, you need to call Lt. Ripley right now.

 

[daizeUK]

Some plants simply don't like high levels of ammonia.  That might explain the melting during cycling.  I'm not sure what they are, maybe a hygrophila?
 
Did you stick the leaves in the sand after the plants melted?  Aww bless!   There must be a good online plant retailer in Oz?  Wish I could recommend one for you.
 
When I saw the wood with the terracotta pot stuck on it... I thought it looked like a one-eyed spider, did make me laugh!